Palestinian American in South Florida speaks out on Israel attack
MIAMI - Anas Amireh, a Palestinian American living in South Florida, has his own take on why Hamas attacked Israel over the weekend.
"This wasn't Hamas (Islamist militant movement) had a party overnight and they said let's do this," said Amireh. "These are people who are living under 75 years of occupation, why do you occupy me and don't expect me to revolt, how is that possible?"
Over the weekend in a surprise attack by Hamas, their actions included taking military and civilian hostages.
Hamas is the same movement the United States declared a terrorist group in October of 1997.
"I'm not a Hamas member," said Amireh who also denies being a member of the Palestinian Military Group. "I do not agree with any kind of murder, I do not agree with any kind of killing. I want the world to recognize that Israel has been doing this for 75 years."
CBS News Miami's Ivan Taylor asked Amireh about the horrifying images of women and children being kidnapped and gunmen attacking young people at a concert.
"It could happen this weekend, it could happen any weekend. These are people living under 75 years of occupation, putting under siege two million Palestinians in the biggest open prison in the world called the Gaza Strip," he replied.
Amireh was seemingly convinced that this way the world would pay attention to the demands of the Palestinians.
Taylor asked him what it was that he wanted.
"We want what they all call Israel to be one state for Jews, for Christians, for Muslims, for Americans, for Buddhists, for atheists," said Amireh.
Yet, for now, what seems inevitable is the bloodshed all over the region.